You can’t afford to have writer’s block since you only have 25 minutes to write your SAT Essays. So to help my students put pen to paper faster I created these 8 techniques for creating a compelling introduction quickly. Try them and they’ll help you too.
1. Understand the prompt first
The number one thing you must do to write a great introduction is to make sure you know what you are writing about first. The biggest mistake I’ve seen in scoring SAT Essays is that many students misread the prompt. To avoid this I have my students underline or circle important words and phrases to make sure they have truly digested the prompt. I suggest you do the same.
2. Use an analogy or metaphor
Analogies require creativity. A trait that SAT Essay graders love to reward. For an essay in which the prompt was “Is it true that to make progress people must make sacrifices?” A student created the following analogy,
“To climb a mountain a person must struggle and strain. And this is the case with any worthwhile goal…”
3. Tell a brief anecdote
You can create an engaging introduction by telling a brief (1-2 sentence anecdote) such as the following.
When I trained for my first marathon it was difficult and often painful. But I wanted to have the accomplishment of running 26.2 miles so I did it anyway. To make progress in life requires sacrifice.
4. Use a quote that was not used in the prompt
It is useful to memorize quotes that you love. You never know when they can come in handy on the test. For example for the essay topic “Do mistakes lead to growth?” one of my students wrote
Someone once asked Edison, “how can you feel good about your work, having failed nine-hundred and ninety-nine times to make a light bulb?” To this Edison replied, “I have not failed so many times, I have merely learned nine-hundred and ninety-nine ways not to make a light bulb. Why did Edison react this way? Because he knew that mistakes are always experiences that lead to learning and growth.”
This was a great quote to begin his essay with and would definitely impress SAT Essay graders.
5. Mention a topic in the news
SAT Essay Experts will often say to stay away from news in the body of your essay. And they are right. However, in the introduction it can be very useful IF you have the facts straight AND it’s even better if it is a news story that isn’t well covered. If you use this idea make sure it clearly fits the topic.
6. Make up an anecdote using very specific details
I don’t recommend this as you don’t need a creative introduction badly enough to take the trouble to make one up. I had a student insist on trying this and his were so bad at first anyone could guess they were fictional. Finally, however he started to put details that were so specific that I couldn’t tell if it was real or not. So you can fool graders if you want to but I don’t recommend it.
7. Use a cliche in an inventive way
Most books and articles on writing say to stay away from cliches however, it’s a secret of professional writers that if you change a cliche it captures people’s attention.
One student used the following cliche to make a great introduction for the topic “Which is a better indicator of a person’s true character, their actions or their words?”
“A picture tells a thousand words” is a saying that applies to the newspaper industry but which also applies to people. The picture created by a person’s actions tells us a thousand words about him or her and goes much farther than words do in telling us about a person’s true thoughts and feelings. Several examples from literature and history demonstrate this point.
Using the cliche “A picture tells a thousand words” to make the point that actions speak louder than words is very unique and very powerful.
8. When all else fails just do a quick summary of what you will cover in your essay
Make sure you clearly state your thesis and state which categories of information your examples are from
For example, “Examples from history, literature and science will prove that people care far too much about what others think of them.”
Most of all remember, you do not need to write an impressive introduction so badly that you sacrifice the rest of your essay. In fact I taught my students to write great body paragraphs first as these are just as important. Then when they could write them quickly I taught them how to write great introductions and powerful conclusions.
Rodney Daut is a former public school teacher, SAT instructor and author. Did you find these tips writing the SAT Essay useful? You can learn a lot more about how to write well for the SAT Essay by visiting SAT Essay.
Q: Can cat behavior be modified by training?
A: Yes, cat training is not as impossible as the majority of cat owners imagine it is. Kitties are not as amenable to training as canines are but they can be trained. Tasty rewards presented as positive reinforcement is probably the best way to train a cat.
Q: Why and how do pet cats make a purring sound?
A: Adult kitties purr because they are happy and contented and to play on the emotions of humans — Can you resist a purring kitty? Kittens purr in answer to their mother cat’s purr to assist in bonding them. It is widely thought that the purring is a vibration of the vocal chords as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.
Q: What makes quite a few cat owners are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander originating from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies develop a reaction because their immune system is attempting to combat the alien protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you stop bad cat behavior such as nipping?
A: The best way to change undesirable cat behavior is the same way the mother cat controls an errant kitten. This is by scuffing the cat. You firmly but gently grasp the cat by the scruff of the neck and hold it down until it calms down. You should do this at the time of the bad behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t need to do any training for a cat to use a litter pan, but if your previously litter trained cat has started to avoid the litter box you need to figure out why. The cat may have a urinary tract infection in which case you need to visit the vet. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have switched to litter you may have to change back or sprinkle a little catnip in the litter to attract the cat to the new litter.
Q: How do you keep cats off counter tops?
A: This is the most asked about cat behavior problems and can be a tough one. Cats like high perches and they often find food or food aromas on tables and counters. It is best to keep the counters clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the counters.
Customers are tough. They are extremely media aware and increasingly cynical and it is a clever marketeer who can get under their skin. Online surveys reinvent the traditional format – bringing all the benefits of the Internet without the programming. Here are ten reasons why they may be the silver bullet marketeers’ need, complete with examples supplied by Martin Day, managing director of online survey website Survey Galaxy - one of a new breed of websites making online surveys quicker and cheaper
1. It’s cheap as buttons
Select the right survey website and creating surveys can be free of any charge and the cost to publish excellent value for money.
Information harvested from surveys can be reused and repackaged in other marketing and PR for use in press outlets making it a very efficient form of information gathering.
2. It’s easy
Anyone can create, design and publish an online survey. Survey sites allow people who are interested in the benefits of surveys, rather than technicalities, to side-step the required programming skills and create relevant up-to-the-minute surveys, instantly – surveys that are even easier to complete than they are to make.
3. Multiple deployment options
Once the survey is online it’s a simple step to promote it, either through email (with a link enclosed), via a link from a website or referenced by other forms of advertising. Anyone who has the link can be connected instantly to the survey, at a time that’s convenient to them, 24×7.
4. We have all got an opinion – and we like to give it
Customers do not often view surveys as spam and the majority welcome the opportunity to make their voice heard and a chance to have an impact on a brand. They can be particularly good for broaching sensitive subjects with concerned employees; a survey asking a workforce on their opinion of change allows the key issues to be raised in a positive manner and encourages employee participation. Deliver a message to individuals and then have the feedback collated in a manageable form.
5. Get inside your respondent’s head
You can lead a customer to an advertisement but you can’t make them think. Surveys actively engage the respondent, who read and then think about the question before giving their response.
6. Beautiful relationships start here
It needn’t all end at the end of the survey – while you have their attention and are in the mood you can ask if they want to sign up for more information or a regular newsletter – making the most of the window when you have their interest.
7. Have you also seen….
Maximise the interest of those responding to your survey by referencing related information. By including links within the survey you are able to reinforce the marketing message.
8. Subtly rules
In the mind of the respondent a surveys can help associate a product with a number of positive attributes. By listing the many features of a product and then asking the respondent to say how important the features are to them, regardless of their response, the respondent will associate the product with the features.
9. Market, educate and gather market research
A survey is an effective, easy and quick method to promote and gain acceptance for a difficult proposal; for example a public body trying to gain acceptance and support for a particular scheme.
For example take a city trying to gain support from the general public for their bid to host a future Olympic Games. Being able to explain each benefit will put a respondent in a much better position to appreciate your argument and that may be enough to combat any negative aspects. Unlike other forms of marketing as well as promoting a cause, useful feedback can be gained that can then be used to fine tune the overall marketing strategy.
10. Engage your target group
Thinking laterally a lively and imaginative approach to surveys can provide the ‘hook’ to engage respondents. The survey subject can be targeted towards a particular group on a subject close to theirs hearts. The survey’s marketing message can take the form of a simple brand awareness message by stating that ‘the survey is being sponsored by brand name’, or by finding a link from the subject matter to the product – something that is surprisingly easy to do and that is highly effective.
Discover the benefits of including in your website a Public Survey section as many people who enjoy completing crosswords and doing word puzzles enjoy completing surveys. Low cost and automated, having a public survey notice board as part of a website will help increase traffic and establish a loyal and returning following. Unlike discussion boards there is no opportunity for people to disrupt the site by inappropriate remarks as the survey results are displayed in summary form enabling them to dispense with moderators and maintenance.
The majority of customers do not view surveys as spam and will welcome the opportunity to voice their opinion and have the chance to make an impact on a brand.
Many of the techniques and a few more are contained in the following sample survey created using Survey Galaxy’s survey software tool.
Fashion necklaces have become very popular, with other people and celebrites alike. Some celebrities have even created their own fashion necklaces line, to allow people who are not celebs to accessorize like they are. You do not have to have a fortune like a celebrity to wear and look necklaces like one.
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